System of control for electric motors.



PATENTED JAN. 7,1908.

A. O; EASTWOOD. SYSTEM OF CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1906.

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Z W 1 M w W w PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

A. G. EASTWOOD. SYSTEM OF CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1906.

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ATTORNEY- gum PATENTBD JAN. 7, 1908.

A. q. EASTWOOD. SYSTEM OF CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED KAY 22, 1906.

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ARTHU c. Easrwoon, OFOLEVELANDYPOHIO.

svs'rnm' or common mnntnc'rmc MOTORS.

No. 876,901. I

Specification of Letters Patent. Application and May 22.1906. serial 170.318.214-

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. EASTWOOD, States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahogaand State of Ohio, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Systems of Control for Electric Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful combination of devices which is particularly applicable to the control of motors driving e ectric railway cars or trains orother uses, in which two or more electric motors may be appgled to driving the same load.

y invention deals particularly with means for altering the circuit connections of the motors with respect to one another and with respect to the supply mains in order to control the speed and power of the motors.

The objects of my invention are": let: to change the circuit relations of the-motors in a such a manner that none of. them will be forced to carry an undue shareof the load while the circuit changes are being' made.

undue overload.

operation.

2nd: to effect the. circuit changes in such a manner that each of the motors will at all times he s mmetrically connected with respect to the other motor or motors with which it cooperates. 3rd: to effect the circuit changes with extreme rapidity. 4th: to effect the circuit changes at a s eed which is independent of the speed at w ich the operator.moves the controlling switch. 5th: to secure smooth acceleration, avoiding excessive flow of current and a corresponding jerkofthe car at the time of changing the circuit relations of the motors. 6th: to protect in a reliable manner the motors from 7th: to open automaticthe circuit of the motors upon failure of V0 tage, thereby reventing burning of the trolley wheel and wire in case the wheel should be brought into contact with the wire all before the operating controller is returned not require particular skill or knowledgeon the part of the operator to insure its proper I prefer to attain thesedesired results as shown Hi the ace =mpanying draw ,ings and as hereinafter described, but I do Patented J an. 7, 1908.

not limit myself to the details and precise a combination so shown and described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l. is a simplified diagram of electrical connections user in the practice of my invention for the series parallel control of two'motors. Fi 2 is an elevation and Fig. 4 a section on ine 44 of Fig. 2, showing a group of power-op erated switches, which I may employ for carrying out the alterations in motor connec-- tions. Fig. 3 shows, partly in section, one form of power-operated switch which 1 may employ. Fig. 5 is a diagram of electrical connection'sof an embodiment of my invention, in which the resistance switch and the motor reversingswitch are operated by hand power-actuated switches. Fig. 6 is a' dia ram of connections of an arrangement simiar to that shown in Fig. 5, with the addition of certain protective devices which will be hereinafter described.

- In Fig. 1, X an Y represent the current su ly lines, A"is the armature and F l the fiel d windin s of one motor, while A and F are the simi ar elements of a second motor. R is a resistance for limiting the current in starting and at the time of changing the motor connections from series to parallel and may also be used for reducing the running speed' of the motors. S S and S are power-operated switches for shifting the n1o-' tor connections.

In starting the motors the switch S" is closed, the switches S and S remaining open. Current then flows from the supply main X, for instance, through the resistance R, the motor A, thence by switch S, through the and the motor connections are governed by second motor A to the sup ly main Y. The

motors are then connects in series and are also in series with the resistance R and should operate at minimum speed. The resistance It may then be short-circuited or cut-out by a resistance switch such as that indicated in Fig. 5, leaving the motors connected in series and therefore operating at approximately one-half maximum speed. Switch S is then opened and switches S and S? are closed, a portion of the resistance It being prefers-bl at the same time reinserted in the circuit. Current can then flow from the supply main through the resistance R,-the motor A? and thence by switch 53 to the supply main Y.

Current may also how fromthe supply main X. through the resistance It thence by the '3, and/i. In Fig. 2, the switches path which is provided for it to the switch S and thence through the second motor A to the supply main Y. The motors A and A are then connected in parallel the top of the insulatin slab S, which carries the various arts 0 the. switch mechanism. The swit weight S, and is closed by energizing the electro-magnetS, of which the plungerS is connected to the arm of i the switch S The steelor iron casting S forms the return magnetic circuit of the magnet S. Locking bars L are pivoted in suitable bearings L? midway between the arms of switches S and S and S and S, the bars extendingbehind the arms of the switches as shown in Figs. 2. and 4. It will be readily understood that the locking bars mechanically preven't switches S and S from closing whenswitch.

. S is closed and similarly prevent S from viously state closing when either S or S is closed.

In carryin out my invention, as preswitch S is closed when the motors are operated in series. The closure of switch S is accomplished by energizing the coil of the electro-magnet by the use of an.

operator s switch. In changin the motor connections from series to parall l, the-magnetizing coils of switches S and S areenergized beforethe circuit of the magnetizi coil of switch S is opened. Switches S an S then tend to closebut are held from closing by the locking bars L They may then be said to remain tu ging at-the locking bars and endeavorin to c ose till the circuit of the magnetizing coi of switch S is o ened at the contacts'of the operators switc at-which time they instantly close.

I have found by experiment that the period of time ela sin between the opening of switch S andt e c osing of switches S and S ma by this arrangement, be reduced to one iet of one second, a period of time so short that there is practically no cessation of current flow to the motors. Consequently, the change from series to parallel connection may be accomplished without the customary jerk evenin hoisting a load, for the supply of current is cut off for such a brief interval that there can be no appreciable slowing down of the load, It will be readily understood that the period of time elapsmgbeor. mnlti 1e.: When the resistance R' is short-clrcuite or is normally held open by a various operating which occur when t e cylinder of the switch the contact finger L, thence through t tween the opening of switch S. and the closure of switches S and S depends upon the physical constants of the switches and is in ependent of the speed at which the operator moves his controlling switch.

Referring now to Fig. 5,'K represents an operating switch of the well-known cylinder type, having arrow of relatively stationary contact fingers L, r, r, r, 1*,0, and C, which cooperate with a series of' contact strips suitably mounted upon the surface, or, so as to form portions of the surface of a cylinder. By rotation of the stri s, the circuits terminatin at the contact ers are connected in t e required order. is a bank of resistance of any suitable form and construction. W and W are reverse switches for reversing the direction of rotation of' the armatures of the motors A and A in the well-known manner. The switches W and W are preferably constructed as described in my pendin a 7 plication for United States Patent, Serial-bib. 312,613. They may be conveniently mounted within. the same frame or casing which incloses the switch K but will preferably be glperated by means of a separate lever or han e S.,'S and S are magnetically operated switches such as those illustrated and described in connection with Figs. 2, 3, and 4. C, 'C; and C are the m etizing coils. of the electro-magnets whlch close the switches. One end ofeach of the windings 'is connected to the supply main'Y. The other end of the winding 0;

the coil C is connected to contact finger the operating switch K and the other ends of 1 the coils C and C are together connected to thecontact finger C.

The operating switch K is shown in the off-position with none of the contact rin or stripsin contact with the rs. T e

sitions of t e switch is rotated so as to bring contactrings under contact gers L, r, and C are in contact with the corresponding Current enters the contact rings, whic are allelectricq ally connected with one another, from the the line of contact fingers, are de's' ated by the dotted lines 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. en the operatin switch is turned to the ition 1,

supply main X, through the contact finger L. Switch S then closes, since one end of its magnetiz' Win is connected to the supply main while t e other end is connected to the second su ply main through the contact fin er C, and the corresponding contact ring, w ch in turn, is connected to the suppl main X, throu h the contact finger L. ith switch S c osed current can then flow from the-supply main X, through 0 strips on the drum, throu h contact finger r, throu h the resistance thence through the field 1 of the first motor, thence by way finger r comes into contact with the "cor to position 5, the fingers r .minal ofswitch S thence through this switch, through the field of two of the contacts of thereversing switch W", through the armature A thence through the remaining contacts of the of the motor,

reversin switch W to the lower terminal of switch thence through the switch S, through the field F of the second motor, thence through two of the contacts of the reversin switch W, through the armature A andt ence by wa of the remaining contacts of the reversing switch W to the supply main, thus completing the circuit. The two motors A and A are then in series and in series with theentire resistance When'the drum of the controlling switch is turned to the-second position, thecontact responding ring, thus cutting out the first section R of the resistance R, the remaining circuit connections continuing as before with the two motors in series. In the third posi- I tion of the controlling switch, the contact finger r is in contact with the corresponding rings and two sections R and R of the resistance R are cut out. When the fourth position is reached, the contact finger ,r is in contact with the corresponding ring and all of the resistance R is cut out, the twomo'tors being supplied with full voltage and operating in'series. When passing from position 4 the contact rings pass beyond and 1*", thus inserting the sections R and R of the resistance R in the motorcircuit. It will be seen also thatbetween positions 4 and 5, the contact finger C. loses contact with the corresponding ring, but before this takes place thecontact finger C makes contact with its ring so that the coils of switches S and S are energized before the circuit of the coil of switch Sis opened. Switches S and S are then prepared to instantly close when the circuit of the coil of switch S is opened, for the reasons hereinbeforegivenat length.

When osition 5 is reached, switch S is. open and switches. S and S are closed, Current then enters the controlling switch through the con-tact finger L, passes byway of the contact finger r, to the second section B of the resistance R, then passesthrou'gh the resistance and divides. One portion of the current passes through the lower ter- F of the second motor and by way of two of the contacts of the reversing switch W, the armature of the motor A", the remaining contacts of the ting 0's again be closed until will be seen that reversing switch W, to the supply main Y. The other portion of the current .passes directly to the field F of one of the motors, thence through. two of the contacts of the reversing switch W through. the armature of the motor A, the remaining contacts of the reversing switch W thence to the lower terminal of switch S and through this switch to the supply main It is therei fore seen that the two motors are connected in parallel with a .portion'of the resistance R in circuit with them. When the controlling switch is moved to position 6, the section R of the resistance R is contact of linger r" with the corresponding strip, the motors still remaining in parallel. In position 7, all of the resistance R is cut out and the motors should, therefore, operate at full speed in theparallel relation. When the drum of the controlling switch is rotated in the reverse direction, the. same series of circuit changes take place in the inverse order. It is to be noted that in coming to the off-position, the contact finger C opens the circuit with-the corresponding strip before the contact fingers r and L open the circuit with their strips. This causes switchv S to open before the circuit is opened at-the contact fingers L and, 1*. All of the arcing which occurs in opening the circuit'is, therefore, confined to the contacts of switch S.

Turning now to Fig. 6, the diagram of connections there shown is the same as that shown in Fig. 5' with the addition of a magnetically operated main switch S and over load switch D, with the necessary electrical connections between these parts. The main switch S and the overload switch D serve to protect the motors against excessive overload by opening the main circuit, thus cut the supply of current upon the occurrence of an overload. The switch S is also so arranged that it will be opened upon failure of the supply voltage and cannot the controlling switch K is returned to the starting position. it the main current from both of the'motors must pass through the switch S and through the overload coil D, before reaching the supply main Y. One end of the winding of the coil C of switch S is connected to the supply main Y at the lower terminal of the switch S. The otherend of the winding is provided with two connections, one of them to the contact finger C at the operating switch, which cooperates with a short contact ring and when in contact therewith connects the second end. of the winding .0 to the supply main X through the cut out through the v drum of the controller and the c'ontact finger L. The second connection is to a contact D of an auxiliary switch which is closed when the switch'S is closed. The bladeD of this auxiliary switch connects the contact D to the contact D, which in turn connect through the switch contacts D and D and the resistance 11 to the supplyv main X. When the controller K is in position 1, the coil of switch S would be excited since one end of its winding is connected to the supply main Y and the other end is connected through the contact finger C and the controller to the supply main X. The switch S will, therefore, close and in closing the switch blade D will span the stationary contacts D and D. Current can then flow from an ply main X, throu h the resistance r, switc receives ull current and closes the switch.

. is in circuit with the coil.

When the contact finger 0 leaves contact with the corresponding ring, the switch S is closed, but its coil is excited ata reduced voltage on account of the resistance 1' which This economizes the use of current and at the same time prevents excessive heating of the coil 0.

D is an overload coil which forms the mag n'etizing winding of an electro-magnet having a lunger D. This plunger may be weighted or held down by a spring in such a way as to be drawn up into the magnetizing coil upon the flow of a redetermined current throu h the coil. hen the plunger D is thus rawn u it strikes the switch blade D,

raising this b ade from contact with the terthe' correspondin ring, at which tention of the motorman. and that the conhis controller to v the off l case'both the trolley whee and the wire are minal D, thus opening the circuit of the coil Cand. causing switch S to open. It will be seen that one end of the coils (3 ,0 and C of switches S, S, and S are connected to the upper contact of switch S; so that when the switch S opens, the circuits of all of the coils .C, G", and C are opened; consequently, t

switches S, S and S immediately open. will be further understood that the switch S cannot again be closed until the controller K is returned to the first or starting position, in which the contact finger C is in contact with oint' the circuit of the coi Cis again closed, this in turn causing the closure of the switch S. Furthermore, since switch S is held in the closed position by an electro magnet excited from the supply mains, in case the .volta e of supply should fail, through the trolley eaving the wire, or other causes, the coil 0 will be deene ized and the switch S will open as .will a so' switches S, S, and S and' the switch S cannot again be closed until the controller K is returned to the starting position. This prevents current being admitted to the motors in any but the proper manner.

With controllers as at present arranged,-it frecl uently happens that the trolley wheel wil leave the wire without attracting the atductor may attempt to replace the wheel :on the wire before the motorman has returned 'tion. In his.)

likely to beseriouslg damaged through arcing and the motors an" gearing are sub ected to 5 and failure of thevolt severe strains owing to the fact that the windings of the motor may form practically a short circuit if the controller'is 1n the in speed position. With my invention it will be seen that this cannot occur since the main circuit is automatically opened in case the trolley leaves the wire and even when the trolley is replaced the circuit through the motors is not reestablished until the controller is returned to the start' position. My invention, therefore, protects t e apparatus on the car against the'results of overload this, to reestablish the circuit after such failure of circuit or overload, all that the motorman or operator is required to do is to return the controlling switch to the starting position. My invention, therefore, protects the motors and controllers against ignorance or carelessness on the part of the operator.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a controller for electric motors, the combination of switches for controlling the speed of the motor, electro-magnetic devices for. closing said switches, and means for energizing the closing mechanism of a switch giving a higher motor speedlprior to denergizmg the closing mechanism of a switch giving a ower motor speed and means for causi the closure of each of said switches to depen upon the opening of another of said switches.

2. In a controller for electric motors, the combination of power-actuated switches for controlling the speed of a motor, electromagnetic devices for closing said switches, 'means for energizi the closing mechanism of a switch giving a gher motor speed prior to deenergizing the closing mechanism of a switch giving a lower motor speed, and means for preventing the switch iving the higher speed from c o givi the lower s dis 0 osed.

3.v n a contro er for electric motors,the

combination of power-operated switches for e; and further than '10s sin while t e switch and a master switch for controlling said ower-operated switches, said master switch arranged to energize the operat' einlg mec amsn'i of the switch or switches contro ling a succeeding grouping of motor mechanrior to deenergizing the operati 1813i of a switch or switches contro ng a pre ce 4. n a series-parallel controller, the combination of motor windings, a po'wer-opergrouping of motor windings.

atedswitching means for connecting motor windingsfin series, a second power-operated switching means for connecting-motor wind mgs in arallel' and means for one the closing inechariism of said second% means before dene zmg the closing mechanism of said first switching means; i

5. In a series-parallel controller, the com bination of motor windings a power-operated switching means for'cdnnecting motor iso windings in series, a second power-operated switching means for connecting motor windings in parallel, means for energizing the closing mechanism of said second switching means prior to denergizing the closing mechanism of said first switching means, and means for preventing said second switching means from closing while said first switching means is closed.

6. In a series-parallel controller, the combination of motor windings, a series switching means for connecting motor windings in series, a parallel, switching means for connecting motor windings in parallel, means tending to close said parallel switching means prior to the opening of said series switching means, and means for preventing said parallel switching means fromv closing while said series switching means is closed.

7. In an electric controller, the combination of motor windings, a switching means for connecting motor windings in series, a second switching means for connecting motor windings in parallel directly from their series condition, and ositive means for caus-. ing said second switc 'ng means to close concurrently with the opening of said first switching means. 3 I

8. In an electric controller for the control of a plurality of motors, a switching means for connecting the windings of said motors in series, a switching means for connecting the windings of said motors in parallel, means for normally opening said switching means, and means for increasing the force applied to opening either switching means concurrently with the closure of the other switching means.

9a In a controller for electric motors,'the

combination of an operating-switch, power- 0 erated switches for altering the connections of the motor windings, means for deenergizing the closing mechanism of said power-operated switches upon the occurrence of an overload, and means for reventing the closure of said switches unti the operating switch has been turned to the starting position.

10. In a controller for electric motors, the combination of 'an operating switch, poweroperated switches for altering the connections of the motor windings, means for de- ./energizing the closing mechanism of said power-operated switches upon the failure of current supply, and means preventing the energizing of the closing mechanism of said power-operated switches till the operating switch is turned to the starting position.

Signed at Cleveland, this 11" day of May,

ARTHUR C. EASTWOOD. Witnesses:

J. E. WELLMAN, C. W. Coms'rooK. 

